Explore North-East in 2013

Imagine waking up in a Naga home, amid tribals who were once known for the practice of head hunting, and plucking tea leaves or lemons through the day. Or having a close brush with a herd of elephants in the morning and calling it a night with a mug

Imagine waking up in a Naga home, amid tribals who were once known for the practice of head hunting, and plucking tea leaves or lemons through the day. Or having a close brush with a herd of elephants in the morning and calling it a night with a mug of 'apong' or rice beer in an Assamese village.

If you are looking for a vacation away from the usual hill stations, then exploring homestays in India's northeast could be the answer. According to tourism experts, the sector has grown by 10 per cent in the past year.

Sabina Chopra, co-founder of travel portal yatra , told us: "The northeast is slowly but steadily catching the eye of the tourist. Due to lack of infrastructure, in terms of good hotels and resorts, tourists are willing to explore newer options like the homestays."

This sector involves travellers staying with a host family to get a first-hand experience of local life and culture.

Nestling in the lap of nature, the eight northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura - have a wealth of cultural diversity, wildlife, flora and fauna.

Nagaland alone has more than 15 tribes and is a cauldron of different cultural practices, art and craft.

The Shiyong village homestay in the northernmost part of Nagaland is one of the many in the region that one can explore to know about the Konyak tribe -- famed for the facial tattoos and headhunting.